Watering Our Garden with T-Tape

Drip hose on the potato row that is just beginning to sprout!  The soil on the left of the row will be piled on as the potatoes grow.

Since I live in a dry area, it is absolutely essential that I get water to my garden daily.  I know that some of you live in the humid areas of the south and the east, and you don't really have to water, but can rely on humidity to do the job.  But if I don't water, my plants can die within a day, and that's the end of that.

Drip irrigation works better here because it uses less water but still waters the plant adaquately.  Sprinklers put more water into the air then on the soil by the plants.  Much of it evaporates quickly.  Many plants don't like water drying on their leaves either. 

So, in answer to a request from a friend, I am detailing my watering system with photos.

There are many ways to do a drip system.  Local home and garden supply stores may have some drip system products.  I've tried many of them before and have decided I do not like the soaker hoses made of recycled tires.  They clog up quickly in the hot sun and then no longer get water to the plants.  There are little drippers or sprayers that you can insert into 1/4 inch hose, which you can then insert into 1/2 inch hose and then connect to a regular garden hose or a sprinkler system.  I have had varying success with these, depending on the brand, and style.  Some work better then others.  Last year I had drippers on my tomatoes, and small sprayers on the rest of my garden beds, and for the most part it worked ok.  I'll use some variation of this kind of system in my smaller old garden space, made of several raised beds, again this year.   But, as my regular readers know, I've tilled up some new garden space, so I need an expanded watering system.

T-Tape

After attending a class by Lynn Hoag of Sun Country Gardens, I've decided to try using T-Tape this year.  Drip Works is one company that makes T-Tape.  I know there are other companies that do also.  You can buy varying thicknesses and spacing of the water emitters.

I chose the thicker 15 mil tubing with 8 inch spacing of emitters.  If you cover it with soil or mulch, it should last a long time.  My rows are 2.5 feet wide, so I've placed two strips of T-Tape down each row.

You can buy small or large amounts of the T-Tape, according to your needs.  Feel free to search around the web too, as there is a variety of pricing.

Fittings

There are economical, small fittings that you can use to connect the T-Tape to the main-line hose that brings the water in to the head of your rows. You can get them with or without a shut off valve.  You can use these with 1/2 inch hose (standard 1/2 drip system hose), but they have a more limited water flow.

Or there are larger fittings, which I used, that have a turn off valve, and greater flow capabilities, that we put into a 3/4 inch hose from the plumbing section.  To put the fitting into your main-line hose, simply drill a  5/16" hole in the wall of the tubing to insert the barb.  We used a heat gun then to soften the plastic around the hole, and then pushed the fitting right in.

Another fitting you will need is a Grip End Sleeve to keep the water from squirting out of the end of your T-Tape.  They are easy to use.  Just fold over the end of the T-Tape, and then slip on the little square over the fold.  No skill or strength needed.

If a section of the hose has a problem, you can cut it out, and splice in another piece of hose with different fittings that are also available.

You will also need a filter and a pressure regulator at the head of your drip system.  Read more about it at DripWorksUSA to figure out which one you need for your situation.

 The main-hose needs an ending, which we found in the plumbing department

And it needed a connector so we can attach it to a regular garden hose coming from the faucet. 

We have divided the garden into sections that will eventually will be stations in a regular landscape watering system.  But we don't have things set up for that yet.  Right now we will use a battery timer on the faucet, and move the garden hose from one station to another, until we get an automated system set up.